Free GPT-4o-mini API

Updated 7/2/2026

Free GPT-4o mini API access through GitHub Models and Vercel AI Gateway. Compare no-credit-card quotas, 128K context, vision support, and copy-paste examples.

About the Model

GPT-4o mini is OpenAI's fast, low-cost multimodal model for chat, extraction, classification, and lightweight vision tasks. It is a strong default when you need fast responses and a large 128K context window.

Why choose it?

Fast and inexpensive: better for high-volume workloads than heavier reasoning models.
Multimodal: supports text and image inputs.
OpenAI-compatible paths: both GitHub Models and Vercel AI Gateway can be called with familiar chat completions code.

Free access options

GitHub Models: free, rate-limited access with a GitHub token. No credit card required.
Vercel AI Gateway: recurring monthly credits through one gateway key. No credit card required to start.

Use GPT-4o mini when you need a dependable free API for prototypes, assistants, summaries, and classification. For deeper reasoning, compare DeepSeek R1 or Claude Sonnet pages in this directory.

Try it in your browser

Pick a model, paste your own free key, and run. Your key is sent once to call the provider and never stored on our servers.

How to call GPT-4o-mini

curl

curl https://ai-gateway.vercel.sh/v1/chat/completions \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $AI_GATEWAY_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"model":"openai/gpt-4o-mini","messages":[{"role":"user","content":"Write a short checklist for choosing a free AI API."}]}'

python

from openai import OpenAI

client = OpenAI(base_url="https://ai-gateway.vercel.sh/v1", api_key="AI_GATEWAY_API_KEY")
response = client.chat.completions.create(
    model="openai/gpt-4o-mini",
    messages=[{"role": "user", "content": "Write a short checklist for choosing a free AI API."}],
)
print(response.choices[0].message.content)

javascript

import { generateText } from "ai";

const { text } = await generateText({
  model: "openai/gpt-4o-mini",
  prompt: "Write a short checklist for choosing a free AI API.",
});

console.log(text);

Compare Free Providers

The following platforms provide free access to GPT-4o-mini through free tiers, trial credits, or daily quotas.

Provider	Context Window	Free Quota	Requires CC	Trust	Action
GitHub Models	128K	Rate Limit	No	Trust 50	Details
Vercel AI Gateway	128K	Monthly Credits $5/mo	No	Trust 98	Details

Frequently Asked Questions

Is GPT-4o-mini free to use?

Yes. GPT-4o-mini is available for free through 2 provider(s) listed below, with no purchase required.

What are the rate limits and quotas?

Free access varies by provider — GitHub Models: Rate Limit; Vercel AI Gateway: Monthly Credits.

How do I get a free GPT-4o-mini API key?

Sign up with GitHub Models, then create an API key from your dashboard. See the provider details above for the exact steps.

Which providers offer GPT-4o-mini for free?

GPT-4o-mini is currently available for free via: GitHub Models, Vercel AI Gateway.

Know another free provider for GPT-4o-mini?

Help the community by sharing other ways to access this model for free.